Device for indicating the sum of the intensity and duration of sound



Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE SUM OF THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF SOUND Rudolph W. Stanmyre, Syracuse, N. Y.

Application October 26, 1946, Serial No. 705,889

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for indieating, or measuring, the intensity and duration of a sound. A type of such apparatus is disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 672,222, filed May 25, 1946. In that apparatus, and in all such devices, with Which I am familiar, no provision is made for indicating the duration of the sound, but only the intensity, or volume, of the sound at any particular instant at which the indicator is observed.

The invention has as an object an apparatus of the type referred to which accurately indi cates, by a single indicator, both the intensity and the duration of the sound, the indicator mechanism being capable of being made in relatively large dimensions, or sizes, whereby it can be ob= served by a large number of persons at different locations, such as the audience in a theatre.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the indicator and the operating mechanism therefor.

Figure 2 is a wiring, diagram illustrating the circuit arrangement for the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1. the indicator III is in the nature of a dial hand secured to a shaft ll journalled in a suitable face plate l2. A worm wheel I3 is secured to the inner end of the shaft and arranged to be engaged by a worm l4 secured on the shaft l5 of a motor IS.

The motor I6 is supplied with current from a. suitable rectifying unit I! through wires l8. The rectifier I1 is connected to the output circuit IQ of an amplifier 20. The intensity of the current in the output circuit I 9 from the amplifier is varied in proportion to the intensity of the sound impressed upon the microphone 22 connected in a circuit 23 forming the input circuit of the amplifier. Accordingly, when a sound is impressed upon the microphone 22, the resulting current in the output circuit I9 is rectified and passed to the motor l6 through the motor circuit l8, and

the motor thus energized rotates the indicator.

in through the worm gearing l3, I.

It will be understood that the greater the volume, or intensity, of the sound impressed upon the microphone 22, the greater will be the intensity of the current supplied to the motor l6 and,

inasmuch as the motor I8 is of the series wound type, the greater the speed at which the motor will move the indicator In through its path from a zero position. Also, it will be apparent that the distance the indicator [0 is moved from its zero position will depend upon the length of time current is fed to the motor lb or, the length of time the sound is impressed upon the microphone 22. Accordingly, the'total movement of the indicator H3 is the sum of the intensity of the current and the length of time the current is applied to the motor. Therefore, the indicator ill will indicate both the intensity and the duration of the sound impressed upon the microphone.

When I refer to the intensity of the sound, I mean the volume, or pressure, of the sound as would be indicated, or measured, in decibels or, in other words, whether the sound is loud, or soft. The higher the intensity, the louder the sound When the sound diminishes, or completely ceases, no current will be fed to the motor l6 and the samewill stop and, through the reduction gearing, will hold the indicator I 0 from retrograde movement. A coiled spring 25, connected at one end to the shaft II and at its opposite end to a projection 26 on the rear of the base plate [2, tends to return the indicator to zero position. It will be apparent that the indicator I 0 may be of any length or dimension, and a motor l6 selected with suflicientpower to operate the indicator, whereby the apparatus maybe mounted upon a stage, platform, or the like, and be of sufilcient dimension to be observed by large numbers of persons.

Means is provided for releasing the indicator III and permitting it to return to zero position through the action of the coiled spring 25. As here shown, the motor I6 is mounted upon a plate 28 pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, on an upright 29 mounted upon a suitable base 30. The motor 16 is mounted on one side of the pivot point 3|, and the opposite end portion of the plate 28 is arranged in juxtaposition to a pole member 32 on which is mounted a coil 33. The arrangement is such that the motor l6 overbalances the plate 28'suflicient to properly hold the worm NY in mesh with the worm gear,l3. The outer end of the motor shaft is supported 1 in a Journal bracket 36 mounted on the plate 28.

When it is desired to return the indicator III to its initial position, current is supplied to the solenoid coil 33 through a circuit 38 connected 4 y aseasea 3 closed, supplies current to the solenoid coil 88 and which is operable to move the adiacentend portion of the plate II downwardlyand move the worm it out of mesh with the work wheel II. and permit the shaft i I, with the indicator thereon, to be moved in retrograde direction to bring the indicator back to its zero position. when the push button It is released and the coil as deenergized, the weight of the motor I will return the gearing into mesh.

To improve the meshing of the gearing. a dash pot arrangement may be connected to the plate 20. As shown in Figure 1, a cylinder 43 is mounted upon the base ill, and a rod 44, depending from the plate 2|, is provided'with a piston movable in the cylinder 43 against a fluid medium. This dash pot arrangement is effective to provide a smoother pivotal action of the plate 20, as will be well understood, and accordingly, a smoother engagement of the gearing l3, l4.

It will be apparent that the detail structure referred to may be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: A

1. A device for indicating the sum of the intensity and duration of a sound comprising a microphone, an indicator, means operable in response to sound impressed upon the microphone to cause said indicator to indicate the sum of the intensity and duration of the sound impressed uponthe microphone, and means operable to cause said indicator to maintain said indication after the intensity of the sound diminishes, and means operable to release said indicator.

-2. A device for indicating the sum of the intensity and duration of sound comprising a microphone, an indicator, means operable in response to sound impressed upon the microphone to move said indicator over a path from zero position a distance proportional to the intensity and duration of the sound impressed upon the microphone, means operable to hold the indicator against retrograde movement after the sound 4 diminishes. and means manually operable to release said indicator and permit the same to return to zero position.

'3. A- device for. measuring the intensity and duration of a sound comprising an indicator, a microphone connected in circuit with an amplifier, amotor connected in the output circuit of said amplifier and being operable at a speed proportional to the intensity of the sound impressed upon the microphone, motion transmitting means connecting said motor to said indicator and being operable when said motor is energized to move the indicator over a path from zero position,

means operable to disconnect the motor from said indicator, and means operable to return said indicator to zero position when the same is disconnected from the motor.

4. A device for measuring the intensity and duration of a sound comprising a microphone connected in circuit with an amplifier, a motor connected in the output circuit of said amplifier and being operable by the current of the output circuit of the amplifier at a speed proportional to the intensity of the sound impressed upon the microphone, gearing operatively connecting said motor to the indicator and being operable when said motor is energized to move the indicator over a path from a zero position, means operable to disconnect said gearing, and means operable to return said indicator to its zero position when said gearing is disconnected.

RUDOLPH w. STANMYRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number V Name Date 2,331,236 Schaefer Oct. 5, 1943 2,398,046 Schaefer a Apr. 9, 1946 2,416,849 Schaefer' Mar. 4, 1947 

